Strength For a Friend
by liburuzale
Summary: Sometimes to save something, you have to lose it; and to be stronger than you are, you somethings have to be somethng else.
1. Chapter 1

_Strength to Save a Friend_

Summary: Sometimes you have to lose something to save it. And sometimes you have to stop being what you are to become your best.

Disclaimer: If any of this belonged to me, I wouldn't be posting stories on the internet.

**Chapter One: Fed Up.**

"You're still too weak." The words echoed in her head as her kyuubi-containing friend carried her towards the hospital. Too weak. He'd said it weeks ago, but it hung around like guilt. She hadn't been any help at all in that battle with him, and he'd escaped them again. She hadn't even managed to _move_ during the latest Akatsuki battle, thus the gaping hole in her lower abdomen. Gaara had helped force them back this time. Last time, it had been some friendly Waterfall ninja.

Sakura was thoroughly disgusted with herself. Of course, with a sissy name like "Sakura," who wouldn't be a girly, giggly, little pile of uselessness. She was cursed with pink hair, green eyes, and what one could only politely call a womanly figure. Everyone one protected her, and no one, on first meeting her, thought she was any sort of threat. The only ninja of the Rookie Nine in a remotely similar position was Hyuuga Hinata, and she at least had the excuse of oppressive clan politics wrecking her self-esteem and wrecking her ability to grow. Sakura didn't have an excuse like that, as far as she knew.

"Almost there, Sakura-chan," Naruto panted. He'd pulled her out from in front of him during a kunai attack, which was the reason the hole was slightly to the right and not in any vital organs. She'd meant to wall him off from his would-be kidnappers, but he had the same protective urges about her and a lot more strength. Barely scratched, he dropped her with the medical staff and rushed to report in with the Hokage.

Sakura was quickly healed by Shizune, who was on a rare hospital shift to escape the stress of being the Hokage's assistant, and settled into a hospital bed for the night. This being a ninja and civilian hospital, she would be left alone unless she rang for someone. It gave her time to think things through clearly, without having to pull her cheery attitude out so no one else would notice her inner struggles. She was very good at the happy act, and no one (not the all-seeing Kakashi or the shrewd Lady Tsnaude) had ever seen through it.

Not even Sasuke, the biggest and badest prodigy in their year, had ever seen through it. He called her weak, because he thought she really was a giggling bubblehead. He didn't know that she believed his words, but because she truly wasn't. She wouldn't tell them that it hurt her whenever they got injured. She'd never say that his silence and obliviousness to her presence had chipped away at bits of her heart over the years or that his abandonment had ripped it into fine shreds. She didn't mention that every 

improvement Naruto made, cause her to feel queasy with jealousy. She didn't even want to think about what the growing friendship between Naruto and Sai did to her insides.

All her friends and peers were growing up, moving on, and bettering themselves. Even shy, retiring Hinata had developed her own interpretation of the family's traits. They were going out and finding both power and love, and she wasn't. She was no better than she had been at twelve. Yes, she was jounin now, and Tsnuade wanted her to take the ANBU exams in a couple months. Still, anyone could learn to punch and heal with their Chakra. It wasn't anything that would have enemy ninja pausing before they approached or would even knock them down enough to call it a victory.

What was worse, Team Seven was falling apart. The "temporary" leader, Yamato, had kept on with them, because Kakashi-sensei couldn't seem to approach them. He wanted Sasuke back, the one he'd devoted so much time and his own personal jutsu to. She knew that without the missing-nin's presence, the team would never get their best teacher back. Sai wanted the boy back because Naruto did, and Naruto wanted him back because he couldn't live without the only person who'd ever _really_ been his friend. Sakura wanted him back to show him that she wasn't weak.

She was tired of everyone calling her weak, or (if not using words) treating her as such. She wanted to patch up her team. To give Sasuke the family he'd lost back in the form of comrades, to give Naruto the friendship he'd always wanted, and to show Sai what friendship and emotions were. She wanted to give her sensei back the team that had raised his hopes for new bonds. But a weak person couldn't do that.

"Well, then," she told herself, "you need to stop being weak."

"How? Being weak is part of being me. Have you ever seen a strong flower?" Her more negative side argued back.

"No."

"Then we're doomed."

"No, we just have to stop being a flower. That's all."

"_That's all_," she scoffed at her own inner dialogue. It couldn't be that easy. Could it?


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: The Jutsu**

The idea was keeping Sakura awake. She wasn't getting any rest at all, so she might as well act on it. The unbelievable ease with which she left her room and the hospital surprised her. She always thought that the amount of injured shinobi who suddenly weren't in their beds was due to their incredible skill, not a lack in observation. She rushed home to change, no point in getting caught in a hospital gown. Then, it was off to Hokage tower. Somewhere in that building's library was a set of scrolls on jutsu that just might help her in her quest. If only she could get to them.

Being very careful to move quietly and in shadow, she swiftly found her way to the library. Using skills taught to her by the mischievous Kiba, she picked the library lock with one of her senbon needles, and went inside for some uninterrupted study time. She went to the very back, where all the Hokages stored scrolls they didn't really wanted people reading, but no excuse seemed valid enough to lock them away with the forbidden jutsus. She rummaged around and collected a nice arm load of potentially helpful material. Turning on a reading lamp at one of the more concealed tables, she settled in to find a way to save her team. Consequences could go stuff themselves.

She had entered the library around nine at night, just after it closed. It took her to nearly dawn to find what she wanted. She was actually surprised to find it that soon; she'd left half her brain spend the night creating excuses for her presence or ways to avoid detection. She even thought of acting like it was perfectly normal that she, who should have been sleeping in the hospital all night, was reading these nearly-secret scrolls, one of the few tricks she'd learnt from Kakashi. But none of that was needed. Hours before any staff would come into the great room, she found a jutsu that promised what she wanted. Quickly replacing the useless ones, as funny as making the team start sprouting fungus all over so they had to come to her to be cured would be it didn't promise the longer term effect she wanted, she slipped back out of the library and off to her secret spot.

Everyone has a quiet place they use to hide from others. For some it is the bath or an office. You don't have to be a ninja to understand how important such a place can be. Though, mostly only shinobi bother keeping these places a secret after they've grown up. Sakura's place was a little copse near a very small waterfall where her own trees would bloom. She against one of these trees, the fallen pink blossoms giving her a nice little seat, and she began to read her stolen scroll. It wasn't very complicated or really dangerous, it was just a little chancy.

It was called the hunting jutsu. It was supposed to give her the skill, instinct, and strength of a natural-born hunter. It sounded simple enough: she would hunt down the threats to Konoha and either kill them or drag them back here. Though, the warning that she might not be able to change back was a little disconcerting, she was not about to stop for vague threats. Only a weak person would do that. She couldn't be weak. Hunters were not weak. She would become a hunter and be strong.

Exactly how the jutsu would work was not clear. She had seen enough patients at the hospital who hadn't taken precautions and had medic scrambling to figure out exactly what they had done so it could be fixed. She was also certain that if she was found before leaving the village, she probably wouldn't be allowed to go. As a precaution, she picked a branch from the tree above her. Rolling the scroll, having 

already memorized the proper hand signs, she tied her headband around it and tucked the branch into it. Someone would figure out the message. Then, they would either label her missing and come looking for her, or they would wait for her to come home and take care of her then. Either way, they wouldn't worry too much. They never did, because she was too weak to do herself much harm.

Putting the message in the crook of the tree, where she knew a certain sage liked to peek at bathing beauties, she went to the middle of the mini-meadow and began collecting her chakra. Performing the necessary signs, she focused her energy and cried, "Great Hunter Justsu!" A flash filled the little wooded spot, and Sakura fell into blackness.

She woke up only a couple hours later. She felt odd: heavier and more…furry? She started to get up, when she noticed that she was moving on all fours. Quickly, quickly she went out of her hiding place and to the nearby water to look. Sakura slowly leaned over the edge of the bank, nervous about what she might see. She gazed into the clear water, and the last thing she expected gazed up at her from the rippling surface. She had been turned into a panther! She was a white panther with bright green eyes. Shocked, Sakura couldn't tear herself away from her reflection.

That dumb jutsu had turned her into this!! This was more useless than her previous form! She couldn't do jutsu or any of her moves that Tsnaude had taught her. She had no idea how to be a cat. And even worse, she was a highly recognizable, easy-to-see cat! Panthers weren't exactly normal around here, and she wasn't even a normal color for one! They were black cats, not white. They might have green eyes, she couldn't remember, but not ones that shown that much. Hunter cats were supposed to be able to hide, but she stuck right out. And, she now noticed that she hadn't quite lost her signature pink, when the sun hit her new coat just right a sheen of the palest pink gleamed around her. Great, she had to be the softest, most girly, most noticeable hunter cat in existence.

Then, it really hit her, what the warning had meant. There was a good chance, she was stuck like this. It had said she might never change back. Oh great gods! She was going to be this way forever! She had an urge to flee back to the village, wake her mentor up, and get the drunk to change her back right now. But she didn't. She had done this for a reason; she was going to save her team. It was time to test this thing out. Stretching herself out, Sakura decided to see how much of a wild cat she really was. Those few animals in the forest heard the low growl that was now her gentle chuckle, as the white cat that had been Haruno Sakura, Konoha Ninja moved silently into a gentle lope.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Hunting**

As thrilling as her new speed was, Sakura didn't lose sight of her goal. She had to adapt, quickly, to this new form, and manage to go unseen as the brightest panther ever. She decided to practice a little before her real hunt began. It was just her luck that the siblings from Sand were on their way home that day. They would be fun to play… er, train with. Now, to start with a little tracking.

Using her new heightened senses, she sniffed out her friends from another village. They were easy to tell apart from their surroundings, the essence of their scent was different at the base than people she usually knew; they were wind, and tall grass, with the slightest hint of blood still clinging to Gaara. Sakura would never tell him, though; she knew how self-conscious he was about his past actions. Temari had a bit of a floral scent wrapped around her, like some exotic dessert flower was tucked into her hair, probably from spending a lot of time near it. Kankorou also had an extra scent, wood and oils from his puppets. They all had a base scent that stemmed from the environment where they were raised, and they all carried a personal scent based on their habits and actions. Now that she knew their individual scents, she could always find them.

Quickly, catching up with the traveling ninjas, Sakura landed high in a tree near them. The group had stopped so Temari could get a stone out of her sandal. Gaara glanced around, and for a moment she thought he'd sensed her. She crouched low and watched her practice prey. As they moved on, she thought, "Of course they didn't sense me, I'm neither a ninja nor a danger now." She silently leapt from branch to branch, well above the heads of those she followed.

It came to her almost naturally, following and watching them without making herself known. Something inside urged her to attack, but she remained well distanced. There was no further indication that they might know she was nearby. While they slept at night, she prowled the edges of their camp, keeping watch. Once they gained the border of the Fire Country, she left them alone and moved on towards her own goals.

She found food easily enough. Small animals were abundant, and she hunted with ease. It came almost naturally. Or it came completely naturally, of course, this body was trained and conditioned to stalk and hunt. She could take excellent care of herself now, and there would be no problem in achieving her goal. Her experiment with the Sand group had shown her that ninjas wouldn't sense her as a threat; there was no Chakra to give her away, and her animal instincts were not understood by humans. She hoped that would hold true when she prepared to attack.

Capturing a small buck for her meal, and not noticing the sudden taste in bloody and formerly cute meat, Sakura plotted her next move. "Sound is to the southwest," she thought as a leg bone crunched in her great jaw. She'd brought this one down swiftly enough to assure herself that she could fight in this body. "But I still want to practice before I go against them. Besides, the Akatsuki wander the country side while Orochimaru hides. I can drag him out if I catch the prey already in the open- the same prey he plans to help a certain other hunt down. I can play and learn on them, then have my final game with the former Leaf ninjas I really want." Strolling with graceful steps to the river bank, she dunked her head in for a drink and to clean up.

Her plans formed, she decided to start where she had last seen her prey, the river gorge where they had killed Gaara only a couple years before. Turning back towards Wind Country, she re-covered the ground with no delay. Moving faster than when following humans, she gained the edge of the destroyed cave in half the time it would have taken her before.

She rested in the shadow of the cliffs for that day, then she followed the river track back to where Kakashi and the blond had faced off. It had been so long ago, there would be no scent. Still, something would tip her off to the direct in which they had gone. Something had to. "What luck!" She purred in her excitement. "Blood in the ground."

Blood from Dedira had seeped well into the soil before rains came to that place. The scent was faint, and would disappear once the rains caught up to him, or he stopped bleeding. Still, she could get some way on that faint scent.

The trail died only a few miles away. It had rained so soon after his departure from his defeat. She sat on the path she had followed the trail along, stumped about her next move. As a human, she would have followed the path itself to the next town and asked questions. As a wild animal, she had no desire to go near men or their towns. Her two sides, her human intellect and her animal instincts, were at odds. She couldn't act until the pair came to some sort of an agreement.

She was saved from waiting for long, when a loud voice echoed around her. "Dedira-sempaiiiiiiiii," the voice cried. "Where are we going?" It sounded like an over-sized child. Still, luck had led her to some of her prey. Who was she to ignore the offerings of luck? Every hunter knew that luck was only kind to those who accepted her favors. And Sakura was a large hunter now.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: Wrapped With a Bow**

Sakura was well aware that only pure dumb luck had given Tobi and Dedira to her. Blind coincidence brought them nearby when she wanted them. It was her job to use that luck. She knew her tracking skills were good and she could hunt, so now she had to test her ability to fight men. From the scant information Leaf shinobi had gathered, she knew that this pair was the weakest in the group; too bad for them that she'd killed Sasori of the Red Sands two years before. Luck was most definitely on her side today.

Moving slowly and silently through the trees, she stalked towards her first prey. That hideous blond who had stolen Gaara was only just barely enduring an exuberant man in an odd orange mask. They strolled along together on another forest path. She followed a few paces, observing them. The orange-masked man made enough noise to cover the sound of Naruto approaching. The blond wasn't paying any real attention to him or their surroundings. They were so easy.

When they paused so Deidra could yell at his strange companion, she attacked. Leaping suddenly from a tree over their heads, she used one of her massive paws to knock the one she'd heard called Tobi out of her way. He fell against another tree and lay unconscious, leaving her free to give Dedira all of her attention. He hadn't reacted yet. She moved that fast.

With a snarl, she lunged to place her paws on his shoulders. She put her whole, toothsome mouth around his head. He managed to pull himself out and push her off him. She crouched low, waiting for him to move again. He tried to throw an exploding clay bird at her, but she dodged with nearly no effort. He threw several more, which she dodged as well. She even used her tail to bat the last one at him. He had not stopped leaping around the area since the fight and easily missed being destroyed by his own creation.

Sakura watched a variety of emotions go through his face: face, glee, frustration, and determination. She wasn't his usually style of opponent, but he still believed himself able to defeat her. He was so wrong. She batted and watched him dance backwards, enjoying the vision of him trying to keep away. He smelt of sweat, clay, and fear. Oooo, she loved that tired and uncertain scent on him. This was fun, but she needed to end it. She knew better than to play with her food… uh, prey… er, enemy. What on earth was he now?

Deciding to leave the semantics to later, she suddenly leapt onto him again. This time he fell backwards to the ground. She used her massive paw to press his head down faster than the rest of him. It connected with the earth in a satisfying thud, and the nasty little man was unconscious. She sat back on his stomach, proud of her accomplishment. The forest sounds, which had disappeared during her little battle, returned in quiet, cautious, small steps.

"Now what?" her human mind asked.

Hmm…. She wasn't hungry, so she wouldn't kill them, but she couldn't just leave them to continue harming whoever they pleased. Well, she could make a quick trip back to her village and let ANBU deal with them. Yes, that would work. Awkwardly using her teeth and paws, she found sashes under their robes and used these to bind the two. Using nearby trees, and not caring if they were a little bruised in the process, she managed to push both men on her back.

The return trip was slower than she liked, and Sakura vowed to take them all back one at a time. She carried them to the gates, and they got heavier with every step. She must have done something severe to them, because neither man woke up during the journey. She was surprised to find the guards asleep. Dumping her load, she prowled up to the pair and batted at the heads until they both woke up. Certain they would be afraid of her like this, she leapt on top of the wall and out of sight before either man was aware of what was around them.

Watching the discovery of the criminals, Sakura purred in laughter at her fellow ninja. Such shock! It would be quite some time before this little mystery was cleared up. She leapt back into the shadows of the woods as soon as her former prey was lugged off to interrogation. On to the next game, she though joyfully.

Team Gai saved her a return trip with the plant-man with a dual personality, Zetsu, when she encountered their sleeping camp the night after defeating him. Hidan, the pain obsessed freak, was left with a drunk Jiraya. She took Kazuzu, she wasn't even looking to see what was under those bandages, to Sand, because it was simply closer this time. Konan put up the longest fight, but she ended up herded straight into an ANBU patrol; Sakura didn't go near the elite Leaf ninjas, preferring to finish her work. Kisame's face was priceless during their battle, like he was sure she would gobble him up then and there. He was left outside Yamato-sensei's front door, so she could enjoy scaring the man with the scary eyes. Itachi she caught in a river, bathing, and never had time to defend himself. She put his still naked form next to Kakashi while he napped under his favorite reading tree. Pein, the leader, was on guard, but amazingly easy to take out; he seemed to have a deep-seated fear of cats. She took him into the Hokage's own office.

She lay the newest present on Tsnaude's desk, and waited for her old teacher. It wasn't long, she knew Sai had seen her carrying the man in her mouth. The only female Hokage burst into the room and straight up to her, "So, we have nearly all the Akatsuki with neat little bows?" The woman began. "I guess that means you aren't dangerous." So, they hadn't gotten her message. "Thank you for this, but I'm still mad at you. Do you know that there is no known reversal for this, Sakura?" Oh, so they did know. "What will I do with you? What will I tell Naruto?"

The cat-once-Sakura just glanced around the room. A few people were there: team eight and a couple guards, besides Shizune. They didn't seem about to stop her or really afraid. Her eyes met with Hinata Hyuuga's one second, and Sakura thought she could here the other girl begging her to stay. She just gave her old teacher a friendly growl and leapt out the window. She heard the woman bellow, "Now where is she going?" to no one.

She also heard Hinata answer, "I d-don't think s-she's done yet, Hokage-sama."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Home Again, Home Again**

The scent of blood drew Sakura the huntress through the forests and plains. She could hear other travelers at night as she hovered high above their fires. They talked about the efficient disappearance of the Akastuki. The rumors reached all over the lands. She could almost hear Sasuke roaring in frustration. Someone had gotten his prey before him. He'd have to go back with her if he wanted half a chance to face his big brother.

Sure enough, only a few weeks after she'd left Pein at the Leaf Village, she saw him and his new team traveling in that direction. He positively stalked down the paths, fury rolling off him. She found the scent of it tantalizing and thrilling. She'd finally gotten a response from him, even if it was anger. She loved knowing that his abilities would be blunt under his rage. He would be such fun prey. She was eager to play with him.

She followed in shadow and silence for days, letting him do the harder part of her job by approaching the Leaf on his own two feet. Why should she carry his sorry rear? She found it fun that he was oblivious to her presence. He should have known better. He was supposed to be a great prodigy. He was supposed to be so promising. He should have felt her. Too bad for him, he didn't.

She waited until he was just outside Leaf borders before she attacked. His new companions went down with a single swipe of her paw each. Pathetic. He'd teamed with them over her? How sad. They were weaker than she'd ever been. Stupid boy.

He, of course, put up much more of a fight. He tried his sword, punches, fire balls, and eye tricks. He could barely dodge her. She had him in her jaws many times, and let him go to prolong the fun. Maybe it was her new cat nature, or maybe it was pay back for the emotional harm he'd done her. Either way, she joined his fear and confusion. She liked the way he was helpless against her. She liked this very much.

She really liked it when he tried Chidori against her. She dodged with no effort and kicked him into a tree. He tried again, and she knocked him into some water. He tried once more, with the curse mark as help, and she threw him through three boulders. He didn't get up this time. Who was pathetic now? Not her.

It was time to take loser-boy home. Everyone else could decide what to do with him. She'd gotten what she wanted. Easily, she forced his limp body across her back. His new friends she left in the wood. Strolling along, she took the most direct path to the village. She simply walked through the front gates. It was late, and despite her whiteness, no guard saw her. She lay him across Tsnaude's desk like a sacrificial offering. She sat firmly across his torso and waited for the coming dawn.

"We're home, Sasuke," she thought as she watched the stars fade. "We're both home now."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: Look Into My Eyes**

A loud roar woke the sleep panther. Her captive was trying to get out from under her weight. He made enough noise that he didn't see the guards come running in. But she did. She leapt backwards and waited against the wall while ANBU subdued the furious Sasuke. He was bound tight and led away. Four men remained to watch her.

The Hokage came in a flurry of rage and worry only minutes later. She walked straight up to Sakura and began lecturing the panther. "Well, what do you have to say? You had everyone worried. That was the rashest decision any shinobi has made, ever. I have no idea what to do with you. You should be executed for treason, running off like that. You used forbidden jutsu."

Sakura raised one white eyebrow at her sensei. "Alright, it wasn't forbidden, but it was still very stupid." Tsnaude looked like she was sulking.

To apologize, Sakura slunk forward. She remained low, in a submissive position. Moving slowly, watching for any hint that she should stop, she reached out her head and rubbed it against her mentor's legs. She purred deeply and nuzzled at the woman who had first seen her strength. Tsnaude patted her gently, accepting the penance.

"I still don't know what will become of you. Still, good job."

Sakura curled herself around the Hokage's legs, momentarily unconcerned with her future. She tagged along as the woman sat and began going through papers. Breakfast was ordered for her, a nice raw steak and some fish. She gobbled at it, not seeing Shizune's disgust at her new eating habits.

"My Lady," the aide began nervously. "We should really find someone to look after her. She can't just wander around the village unsupervised."

"Nonsense, it's Sakura."

"Are you sure?" Both women had been researching the jutsu that the younger one had used. They and she all knew that Sakura, the human and their friend, would slowly but certainly disappear into the cat. She would gradually become the wild beast into which she had transformed. Her great emerald eyes pleaded with them to save her. Or so they thought.

In truth, she was pleading with them to listen to her. Deep in her mind she yelled, "I'm here. It's me. It always will be. It won't be so terrible. I can live like this. I know what I have to do." But there was no way to tell them.

Sighing, Tsnuade turned to one of her lackeys. "Send for Hyuuga Hinata."

The quiet heiress arrived only ten minutes later. She was blushing and having trouble looking anyone in the eye. Same old Hinata. She bowed low. "You asked for me, Tsnaude-sama."

"Yes. Sakura is home. I want you to take a look at her."

The small kunoichi crouched low in front of her peer. Their eyes locked, and before she could activate her bloodline trait, so did their minds. "Sakura?"

"I'm here, Hinata."

"What is going on?"

"I became this to save him, but I'm not done."

"How so?"

"There is someone else I must save. You can't take power like this for what you want if you don't pay someone else with it. I have to take care of someone else now before I can change back."

"Who?"

"I can't tell you, but you will help me. You will be my link to everyone else."

"Hinata, what is it?" Tsnaude asked.

"I can hear her, Lady Hoakge. When I look into Sakura's eyes, we can talk. She knows what to do next."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven: Protecting Mistress**

Sakura strolled along behind Hinata, her great shoulders rolling with each silent step. Both the woman and the cat had grown used to the whispers as they passed by. In fact, they didn't even hear it anymore. A quick explanation, that the Hokage wanted Hinata to train and fight with this panther who was named Sakura because her fur tinted an interesting shade of pink in the sun (and having nothing to do with strange similarities to a certain missing medical ninja of that name), was accepted by most of the people around them. Shino seemed suspicious, but he didn't press the matter. Hinata's father, who didn't like animals because they were too messy, even grudgingly allowed her to sleep in the same chamber as his eldest. He even seemed to like the idea when he found that the great cat slept across the door and very lightly. Though, a certain younger sister was temporarily cured of pranking people in their sleep.

In the last few weeks, the odd pair had trained hard together, usually away from anyone else. They started each day with riding lessons. If they ever needed to move fast, Sakura wanted Hinata to stay on her back. They followed these lessons with sparring matches against each other. Neither one was familiar with the former abilities of the other, but they were both impressed. There was a deadly grace and easy accuracy in the movements of both. Sakura still possessed incredible strength and speed, but Hinata surpassed her in agility and the ability to read coming moves. It only took a few days before they were an excellent pair.

Due to meet the rest of team eight for a paired sparring session, they decided to look up Sakura's old team during lunch. Naruto and Sai had been away for a long mission together. They had left before Sakura started her own adventure, and they had only returned that morning. Both women wanted to know if a certain passionate blonde had heard about the newest criminal in the Konoha jail. They had their answer a block from his favorite ramen stand.

He was treating Sai to a full-volume exposition on what he thought about the entire situation. The dark haired man let the words float by in his usual expressionless manner. Hinata took a stool on the free side of Naruto, with much nudging from Sakura who sat calmly on her other side. The shy heiress ordered two bowls and put the one with extra meat on the ground in front of the now-cat-ninja. Naruto eventually saw the pair.

"Hey, Hinata!" The girl turned red, and Saukra rolled her eyes. Deciding to help the soon-to-be couple start talking, by giving Hinata time to say something, she quickly moved to Naruto's side. With a slight leap, she had her paws on his shoulders and lapped his face a few times. He tasted like ramen. As she dismounted, she winked at her friend. Hinata laughed heartily into her meal. "Sorry Naruto," she squeaked out. "I guess she likes ramen-flavored ninja." Sai ignored the procedures.

By the time the demon vessel recovered from his shock, the girls were done with their meals and gone. They raced down side streets together, giggling like crazy people. Though, some passers by thought that the cat was growling at them. Calming down, they struck out for the training field where the others were waiting.

"So, what do you think of father's plans?" Hinata asked her only confidant.

Sakura growled. The Hyuuga head recently decided, without consulting his daughter, that he should marry her off to another powerful village's favored clan. They two groups had been uneasy with each other for some time. A marriage could end that. "So could a good butt-kicking," Sakura thought. She generally disagreed with the idea, mostly because no one had asked Hinata's opinion before offering her up to the other clan.

"Yeah, I know." They had already discussed it thousands of times. The only thing, it seemed, that they couldn't do together was change Lord Hyuuga's mind. Neither one wanted Hinata married to anyone but the boy that they had just pranked.

Their sad silence was interrupted by a sudden appearance of masked ninja in front of and behind the pair. The unknown men ignored the cat and lunged for Hinata. Not hindered by watching people, Hinata struck out with a gentle fist attack, smoothly flowing between the enemies and efficiently taking each one she touched down. She got five in the first minute.

The other six became Sakura's prey. She had the first four pinned to the wall and asleep with her first plunge. The others were quickly covered in scratches, and howling as her jaws cracked their limbs. She shook them around like so many rag dolls. Her and Hinata stood surveying their work, pleased with themselves.

But there was a surprise left. One final figure, hidden until now, grabbed Hinata from behind. "You will give me the Hyuuga secrets, stupid child," he hissed as he leapt away with her.

Sakura didn't hesitate to follow. She was on the pair before he left the roof top he'd landed on. With one swipe, he screamed in burning pain courtousy of her claws and Hinata was loose again. But the cat wasn't done. "You dare touch my mistress," she growled at him, though he couldn't understand. She attacked again, tearing at his arms and clothes. She crunched on whatever part of him she could reach. Soon, human thought left her, and she ravaged him like a hungry animal. When she was done, he lay barely a pile of flesh.

Hinata pulled back the mask, to reveal the face of her betrothed. She quickly looked into Sakura's eyes. "Well," the cat stated, "you don't have to talk to your father about not marrying him now."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight: Adjusting**

To say that the rival clan was displeased at losing their heir was an understatement, but it was hard to argue with Lord Hyuuga's claim that it was his own fault for attacking during peace negotiations. "If that is how she is treated as his betrothed, I have certainly lost interest in her being his wife," his finished. The other clan was forced to accept his choice. Especially, with a large, pinkish cat glaring and growling from behind the clan leader and the Hokage while small Hyuuga children played with her long tail. They soon left, aware that another approach was not possible in this generation. The few survivors of the failed attack had attested to Hinata's capability in defending herself. The cat was just overkill.

The Hokage left shortly after ANBU escorted the less-than-distinguished guests from the village. Hyuuga patted the babysitting panther on the head. "Good work," he muttered quietly. He had enjoyed the information of their win so much he even offered to give some fatherly training to Hinata. Sakura still thought he was a jerk of the highest order, but he was trying. So, they went out into the sun to work, while Sakura stayed in the shade with some of her mistress's young cousins. She was good with them.

Still , her mind was far from her wandering charges. She hadn't been herself during for the battle. To be honest, she hadn't been a ninja woman for a long time. She was becoming more of a cat than ever. It was fairly disturbing. Something had to be done. She was losing herself. Sure, she was close to Hinata and she was filled with confidence, but she wasn't _herself_. She had thought that helping Hinata was her only duty, but that was done. Still, she was not changing back. Something had to be done.

Her train of thought was interrupted by the arrival of messangers from the Hokage. Hinata, Neji, and Sakura were required at the Hokage's office. All their peers would be there for an important information session. There was something everyone had to know. "Come on," Hinata called to her friend, who would much rather remain behind to sun herself now that no one was jumping all over the garden. Yet, she rose and strolled along behind the cousins. At least the walk was amusing; Hinata kept making faces at Neji, who was acting all overprotective again.

"Oh go jump off the monument!" She finally yelled at him when he pushed her behind him with no good reason for the fifth time. She stomped ahead of her cousin, Sakura in tow, muttering about egotistical males and stupid show offs.

Still, the news from the Hokage erased Sakura's temporary good mood. When they arrived, all the other ninja, their friends, were there already. So was Sasuke. He was glaring at everyone until he saw Sakura. As discretely as he could, he kept the entire group between himself and the cat. He still remembered their battle, and wanted to be far, far away from her. She felt rather self-satisfied on seeing that reaction from him. He should be afraid.

"Good, you're all here," The Fifth began. "I was going to call this meeting earlier today, but there was an incident needing my attention." She glared at her apprentice-turned-cat, who simply pretended to lay down and go to sleep. "Anyway, I'm announcing the conditional release of Uchiha Sasuke."

Sakura pulled her head up and growled low. Hinata lay a calming hand on her head as the Hokage continued. "The Elders believe that the village will feel safer with an existing Uchiha clan. Since, of the remaining clan members, Sasuke's crimes can be viewed as the lesser," Again Sakura growled, letting the sound reverberate in the room more this time. "the Elders have suggested that he be allowed on parole. He will train with his old team and sensei, and he will take low-ranked missions around the village until everyone," She looked closely at Sakura. "is certain that he cannot betray us again."

Hinata glanced down at her feline friend. "He'll do it," she heard in her mind.

"I'm telling you this in private, because small groups of you will be assigned to watch him for the time being. When Sai, Naruto, and…. When his team is not with him, other teams will be. You don't have to enjoy each other, and he can be as alone as he likes; but you guys need to be no further than ten feet away at any time. When he is at home, guards will be stationed around his house. Questions?"

"Yes, Baa-chan!" No one was surprised to hear Naruto's voice. "Why isn't Saukra-chan here?"

Hinata, Tsnaude, Kiba, Akamaru, and Shino, the rest of team eight having learned weeks ago who the panther really was, all glanced at Sakura and then tried to pretend they hadn't. Still, people had been wondering how much time would pass before he began demanding the whereabouts of his female teammate. The Fifth answered quickly and unconvincingly, "She's… elsewhere… on a mission."

"But…"

"Mind your own business, brat. She's got other duties to worry about besides babysitting him! Dismissed."

Sakura led Hinata out of the building quickly. Naruto already had as many people as he could roped into going for ramen. She didn't want to do, but Hinata did. So, she led the way, and stayed well away from the re-instated ninja. He was eyeing her, too, and he asked Naruto questions about her.

"I dunno," the blond muttered around his food. "Ask Hinata, it's her cat." Hinata, sitting on the other side of Naruto after much pushing from a certain four-legged ninja, blushed deeply. Sasuke didn't push the issue, but Sakura did. She nipped her mistress's arm until the girl finally addressed Naruto.

"H-h-haven't I told you about her, N-Naruto-kun?"

"No! I only saw her that day she licked me."

"Well, she joined me a few weeks ago, the day Sasuke came back." She chose her words diplomatically. "We've been training as a pair since then, and now she's my best partner."

"Dangerous," muttered the man that Sakura'd beaten.

"Only if she thinks you are," her mistress offered.

"I see why they assigned her to you. You are almost as weak as Sakura."

"I'll take you on any day, Uchiha." Hinata's voice changed. It got lower, deeper, and threats hung inside it. She was done being timid. She had fought off assassins without a dumb male shinobi, and she'd completed five missions with only Sakura as her team. Leaving, she "accidently" knocked Naruto's next bowel of hot food into Sasuke's lap. She and the cat strolled off, both grinning.

"Wow," Naruto watched her go with admiration. He was thinking that he should really ask that girl out.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine: New Life**

Sakura woke up the morning after Hinata stood up to her family, Neji counted, and the "great" Uchiha, getting herself a date with Naruto in the process. The girl even managed not to faint until after they got home! Sakura was so proud of her human, she almost didn't realize how cold she was. Once she finally did, she thought it was odd. It was summer, and her coat kept her warm. Plus, she was purring.

Wait, was that a hand? On her leg? On a hairless leg? That was HER hand! Sakura sat up quickly, cold and sore. Human bodies were not meant to sleep naked on wooden floors. But, the surprises did not end there. Laying next to her was a large, white panther. It regarded her with brilliant green eyes. She wasn't afraid. It looked her in the eye, like she did Hinata, and Sakura heard "Good-morning mistress." It pushed it's great head up under her chin, looking for attention and acknowledgement.

Sakura patted it's head, and grabbed a loose blanket from the closet before waking Hinata. "You're human!" the girl squawked when she woke up.

"Yeah. Look over there."

Hinata looked at the panther. "Oh."

"Yeah. Ideas?"

"Umm… no."

"Hokage?"

"Hokage." Hinata leapt up to get dressed. Sakura borrowed an outfit from her. They didn't even tell Hinata's father where they were going.

It only took twenty minutes to get to Hokage Tower. The Fifth wasn't in yet, so the pair waited patiently. Fortunately, Hinata's weeks with a panther companion had lessened the weird looks they might get at the animal following them. However, Sakura in Hinata's clothes, which were one size too small, did raise a couple eyebrows.

Tsnaude didn't appear surprised at her student's sudden change in appearance, or at the new panther. She looked calmly at the girls. "Hinata, can you communicate with it?" The Hyuuga tried and shook her head. "Sakura, can you?"

She leaned down, looking the cat in the eyes. "Don't fear, mistress. I am to serve you. All cats will serve one who has _been_. There is only one more thing to do, to pay your debt for borrowing my strength." Biting her lip, Sakura nodded at her mentor.

"What did it say?"

"She said I have to do one more thing to pay my debt to the jutsu, but she will be my companion from now on."

"Well, we should plan for that, then."

Three hours later, Hinata and Sakura left to get the pink-haired ninja ready for their joint mission. They had one hour to prepare and go. Sakura changed and gathered her gear. Hinata got her tools and told her parents that she had a mission. They met at the front gate, with the cat at Sakura's side, and left without a word to either set of teammates.

They traveled to the last location of Sound. The cats, the wild hunter kind of the forests and mountains, had noticed a disturbance among humans that worried them. The being called Orochimaru was going to spread his poison among all species, after he was done with men. They didn't want it, so they leant their strength, the jutsu, to stop him. Cats have a strange sense of duty, they didn't care about his actions per se, there was something else about the snake-summoner that they wanted gone. Their companion wouldn't say more. Since she claimed to have no name, the girls called her Lotus.

No one heard even a whisper of the trio until nine weeks later. Naruto rampaged when, after being stood up, he heard that his new girl had disappeared with his old crush, who had re-appeared only moments before leaving again and hadn't told him. The Hyuuga's remained stoic, though Lord Hyuuga had a rare, frantic look in his eyes the entire time. Rumors flew about where they'd gone, but there was no real evidence to tell their secret.

They stumbled into the village the evening of the seventh day in the ninth week. They were all covered in sores, bruises, scratches, and hastily bandaged wounds. They were exhausted near to death and almost starved. Best of all, bound and dragging behind them along the ground was the supposedly great Orochimaru. Next to him lay what had once been Kabuto. They thought, Lotus had scraped away enough of his face that no one was sure.

Both girls gave terse reports to the Hokage. They told no one else about their battle. They did not attend the former Sannin's execution. They willingly remained in the hospital until they were given a medical discharge. They opted to be off the work roster for an indefinite amount of time. No one could get a word out of either girl. One night, after five bowels of ramen, Hinata burst out crying on Naruto's shoulder. He held her, and was allowed to tuck her into her own bed that night. After that, he was seen around the Hyuuga compound often, and Hinata rarely went anywhere that wasn't training or clan related without him. Sakura moved into her own place with Lotus, and spoke to no one.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten: Cat Lady**

The silence that descended on Sakura raised the eyebrows of half the village. No one seemed to notice the transfer of the panther to a new owner. People who did not acknowledge the medical ninja before were pestering her now. Hospital staff followed her like shadows with tonics and elixirs and justsus that would heal whatever ailed her. The elders accosted her countless times trying to pry for information and determine what was going on in her head. Her follow shinobi continually asked her to train or tell about her mysterious mission. Ironically, Uchiha was the most persistent in trying to draw her out, even if he had to hide it from the world and keep up his uncaring airs.

Sakura appreciated the concern, but did not take the medicine, talk about the trip, or hang out more with anyone she hadn't before. She was careful not to suddenly change her old habits, though she was seen with Hinata much more often, she trained alone with Lotus, and she studious tried to avoid any contact with Uchiha. She went up for ANBU, and left the Sai and Naruto to wrangle the last Sharingan user with Kakashi. She became a feared ninja and the most compassionate and gentle healer in the village.

Several years after the death of Konoha's worst enemies, Sakura married another ANBU. The wedding attendance was small, until the large number of wild cats drew attention to it. Kyo said he didn't mind. Lotus stationed herself between them the entire ceremony, and guarded their door during the sort honeymoon near the sea.

When their first son, Hayate was born, pink hair and all, Sakura agreed to stop being an active ANBU. She, instead, focused on being a healer and breeding ninja cats. By the time little Shizune was born with her father's brown hair but her mother's green eyes, there were twenty cats under Sakura's care and she was the leading medical ninja in the village. Naruto took over as Hokage the year after he and Hinata had young Yamato, and had assigned the Haruno household (Kyo had no last name, so they used hers) to a large compound just on the edge of the village, to make room for Sakura's pets.

The pack of cats grew, and so did the children. Hayate became another great healer. Shizune fought on the front lines against the new enemies that rose over time, with her own special cat at her side. Over many years, Hokage's changed, enemies came and fell, and the Hidden Leaf Village grew strong many times over. Still, at the front battle lines and busy with the wounded there was always at least one member of the Haruno clan being shadowed by some type of fierce cat.

Yes, the little family grew to clan status, though not in Sakura's lifetime. It gained prestige and influence throughout the village, and the members were admired for their varied abilities. The cats that accompanied these shinobi quickly became as common place as other clans' familiars. Though no one can now remember why, there has always been a deep-set distrust between the Haruno and Uchiha clans, even though both clans have been close to the Uzumaki clan. Still, the Harunos move unencumbered by the pride of the Uchiha's; first, because you can't argue with someone that has a cat large enough to swallow you stomach with them, and second the Harunos do not seek solitary power. When asked, the clan repeats the motto their founding mother told them: "If you seek strength and power, seek it for a friend."


End file.
